actually no, I wasn't going the liberal or political route. The fact checking came from two years of working with the Census and they couldn't even get the basic info correct. Or when they report on the local sports scene from where I'm from. And if you call them on it they get really ticked off. My VERY LIBERAL journalism prof. in college would throw the paper on our desks every week for us to edit. The pages were full of red marks...

their basic spelling is pretty bad, too... they've actually used net/text speak in their PUBLISHED article. *facepalm*

Is it the only local newspaper? Without competition, the paper may have no incentive to improve the content quality, you know.

It's the largest paper up here, it used to be just Anchorage, AK's paper - but they bought out the Alaska paper so they are the biggest and oldest. There are other local papers (that aren't that great either, because really they're all owned by the same people). A lot of it is laziness because - yeah, they're the only ones in town... and the outside staff thinks we're all too dumb to notice their stupidity. They really talk down to Alaskans...

The program has a lot of potential, but I see what you mean by his tendency to fizzle during the FD. He has a good center when he spins, and I find his footwork sequence always interesting and original. So, it comes down to his jumps... He can skate excellent SD, so his jump techniques are not that bad, though I admit that I am a lay person without much technical knowledge.

I am especially curious about the initial failed triple axel attempt (he doubled) and the messy following jump combos. Those are not due to his legs being tired, as it tends to happen after the half way mark to capitalize on 10% bonus points.

So I would have to conclude that the messy initial jumps have more to do with perhaps being nervous, mistimed, or emotional issues, i.e., when you have a pattern of fizzling at FD, it can become a self-fulling prophecy.

Does he have a sport pscyhologist? When you reach at his level, a lot have to do with in between your ears. I do not know if he have a sport psychologist, but he did not come across to me as particularly introspective based on the interview he did during the summer (it is on IN).

I wish I could offer my help, as you could do a lot with vizualization of your best routine, helping him understand how best to handle your stress, etc.

I don't know if he works with anyone, but I do believe his main issue is inexperience. He has taken many more trips in the last year or two than he did as a junior or novice, but it's still many competitions less than the other guys have under their belt. I think it does come down to nerves and timing. It could be that he doesn't feel that he has the same advantages as someo fo the other skaters (better choreography or costuming, etc) but honestly I don't know. He just needs to settle down into his programs...

I don't know if he works with anyone, but I do believe his main issue is inexperience. He has taken many more trips in the last year or two than he did as a junior or novice, but it's still many competitions less than the other guys have under their belt. I think it does come down to nerves and timing. It could be that he doesn't feel that he has the same advantages as someo fo the other skaters (better choreography or costuming, etc) but honestly I don't know. He just needs to settle down into his programs...

Those are good points. I am beginning to understand many disadvantage of training in Alaska.
More than ever, Doris' idea of helping Keegan find an airline sponsorship makes better sense. Is there anything we could do about it?

Those are good points. I am beginning to understand many disadvantage of training in Alaska.
More than ever, Doris' idea of helping Keegan find an airline sponsorship makes better sense. Is there anything we could do about it?

I have no idea. I'm not in any official contact with Keegan, his team, or his family. I've just been quietly following his career since he was a novice. I met his aunt at nationals in 2008, but all we did was talk and she was just excited to 1. find someone else from AK and 2. that I knew who her nephew was. I know skaters that have trained with him/look up to him. I met them and their mom a couple of years ago when Gregory & Petukhov did a skating program in Fairbanks, AK. It's an extremely small skating community here. And if you aren't a skater or family member of a skater, you can't really show a lot of outward support (especially in Anchorage) as they think you're a creeper. Fairbanks was/is way more inviting in that regard!